Idun Reiten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Idun Reiten
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Reiten at Oberwolfach in 2005
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| Born | 1 January 1942 Trondheim, Norway
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| Died | 19 August 2025 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois |
| Awards | Commander, Order of St. Olav; Nansen Medal for Outstanding Research; Humboldt Research Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | University of Trondheim |
| Thesis | Trivial Extensions and Gorenstein Rings (1971) |
Idun Reiten (born 1 January 1942, died 19 August 2025) was a brilliant Norwegian professor of mathematics. Many people consider her one of Norway's greatest mathematicians. She earned many awards and honors from Norway and around the world. She guided 11 students in their advanced studies. She also had many "academic descendants," meaning students of her students.
Professor Reiten was an expert in representation theory. This is a special area of mathematics. She was famous for her important work on tilting theory and Artin algebras. These are complex mathematical ideas that she helped to explain.
Contents
Discovering Idun Reiten: A Math Star
Her Journey in Mathematics
Idun Reiten earned her PhD, a very high university degree, in 1971. She completed her studies at the University of Illinois. She was only the second Norwegian woman to achieve a PhD in mathematics! This was a big accomplishment.
In 1982, she became a professor at the University of Trondheim. This university is now known as the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She dedicated her career to teaching and research there.
Her research focused on representation theory. This involved studying special types of mathematical structures. These included Artinian algebras, commutative algebra, and homological algebra. These are advanced topics in algebra.
She worked closely with another mathematician named Maurice Auslander. Together, they created a very important part of mathematics. It is known as Auslander–Reiten theory. This theory helps us understand Artinian algebras much better. Their ideas, like "almost-split sequences" and "Auslander-Reiten quivers," were explained in many research papers.
Awards and Special Honors
Idun Reiten received many important awards for her contributions to mathematics. In 2005, she was given the prestigious Humboldt Research Award. Two years later, in 2007, she won the Möbius prize.
In 2009, she earned the "Fridtjof Nansen's award for successful researchers." This award celebrates top scientists in mathematics and natural sciences. She also received the Nansen Medal for Outstanding Research that same year.
Her achievements were recognized internationally. In 2007, she became a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. This is a very respected group of scientists. She was also a member of other important academies. These included the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and Academia Europaea.
In 2012, she became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. She was also honored as an MSRI Clay Senior Scholar. She was a Simons Professor for the academic year 2012-2013.
Professor Reiten was invited to speak at major international events. She gave a special speech, the Emmy Noether Lecture, at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in 2010. She was also an invited speaker at the ICM in 1998.
In 2014, the King of Norway gave Idun Reiten a very high honor. He appointed her as a commander of the Order of St. Olav. This was "for her work as a mathematician."
Inspiring Future Scientists
A special program at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is named after her. It is called 'IDUN: From PhD to Professor'. This program helps more women become top scientists and professors. It focuses on fields like computer science and electrical engineering. Idun Reiten's legacy continues to inspire young women in STEM.
See also
In Spanish: Idun Reiten para niños
